I'm Jewels, founder of travelJewels and dedicated to helping you live a full & intentional life through travel. On this site you will find detailed travel guides and tips focused on first-hand experiences.

Enjoy!

During my Morocco travel series, I received a lot of questions about the safety of traveling in Morocco as a woman. While my friend and I felt safe in Morocco, I recognize that the time we spent exploring by ourselves were limited. We spent the majority of our vacation exploring with a private guide who was really protective of us. In hopes of providing a balanced view of visiting Morocco, I asked my friend Rino to write about her solo travel trip to Morocco. Here’s a recap of her experience highlighting the good and the bad:

If you are considering visiting Morocco and want to visit a city that truly captures the spirit and culture of the country, visit Fes. The city of Fes, Morocco's third largest city, is home to over one million people. It was founded in the 8th century, and still has a distinct traditional charm to it. During our visit, we went on a half-day tour of Fes with Morocco Easy Tours. Here are seven things to do in Fes.

Morocco is a predominantly Muslim country, where modesty in all aspects of life is key. I was in Morocco, during Ramadan (a holy month of fasting), which was even more reason to be mindful of my attire. While exploring the medina in Marrakech there were several tourists who wore shorts and crop tops. Our guide told us it was extremely disrespectful towards the culture, especially given it was the holy month. In general, it is advised to cover your shoulders, knees, mid-drift, and avoid low-cut tops particularly while in the medina and rural areas.

After months of sitting on my Pinterest board, in June my dream of going on a camel trek in the Sahara Desert finally came true! The entire experience was blissful and surreal. The days leading up to our trek were incredibly busy, making riding a camel through the Sahara the meditative retreat I needed. In that moment, everything slowed down. I soaked up the beauty of the orange sand dunes that surrounded us, sung Lion King songs with my friend, and took time to express gratitude and be in the moment. If you are looking for items to add to your bucket list, this is it! It's the perfect mix of adventure and tranquility.

My friend Fi and I were recently reminiscing about our trip to Morocco. I asked her how would she describe the accommodations and she responded, "Bed & Breakfast meets textile heaven". Her description was spot on! Whether we were at a riad (a traditional Moroccan house with an interior courtyard), a hostel or a hotel, we were constantly amazed by the exquisite architectural and decorative details.

Figuring your way around a new city can be super fun and exciting, but also a bit stressful. What helps me alleviate my stress when using public transportation abroad is knowing the do’s and don’ts of the local system. After a year+ of living in Ghana, I’ve mastered a few tricks that I am excited to share with you!

Here are 4 essential tips you need to know to get around Accra with ease:

Ghana ranks high in fun social activities! Ghanaians are very warm and welcoming people. When my friends and I went out, the vibes were always positive and lively, and the music was always on point! Here's your 7-day guide to social events in Accra:

In early October, I spent 10 days in Ghana mainly in Accra, but did also venture out to some of the surrounding areas. For anyone who will be a first timer visiting Accra know that there is a lot to see. But, if you have a limited amount of time, here are 7 places to visit in Ghana:

My best friend has been living in Accra for the past year but has traveled back and forth to the city since 2009. One of the many great things about this is that she's developed amazing bargaining skills! Before we went shopping at the markets she schooled my friends and me on the art of bargaining in Accra. I admit it's hard, but just like everything else, the more you do it the easier it becomes! Here are 5 key tips to help you successfully bargain in markets in Accra:

I'm off to Accra, Ghana to visit my best friend Carolina who moved there in 2015 to help launch Teach for Ghana. I will be joined by my other two best friends Maritza and Frances. I'm so excited to explore Ghana with my girls, and to check off my bucket list item of celebrating my birthday abroad! Here is my packing list of the essential items I needed to make this a healthy trip to Ghana!

In 2010, I embarked on my first international trip. It was the second flight I’d ever taken and it happened to be a 15-hour direct flight from NYC to Johannesburg, South Africa, where I would spend the semester studying community health and social policy in Durban.

During the summer of 2014, I met Silas through a coworker when I went to a party. Since leaving South Africa, Silas and I have kept in touch over the years. He is a free-spirited creative whose photography captures the true essence of South Africa and he knows Cape Town and its surrounding areas well. I'm excited to have Silas share his invaluable insight with the travelJewels community because locals always know best!Here is a variety of non-traditional South Africa itinerary ideas from a local!